As parents, we all know how rewarding this job can be but there is no question about how difficult it really is. So it comes as no surprise that there are multiple polls taken annually about how and where to get the best parenting advice.

While plenty of blogs make the cut into the ever propitious world of top parenting blogs, they are not all created equally. One of our favorites is Ahaparenting.com. We think so highly of them that we’ve compiled a list for you (using Social Footprint) of their top most socially shared posts.

While Ahaparenting.com’s search results in Google (13,900) don’t come close to the largely promotional sites like Parents.com (420,000) and Babycenter.com (2,470,000), and though its social campaigns aren’t as heavily boosted, the professional and easily applicable information given is outstanding to say the least.

Dr. Laura Markham, founder of Ahaparenting.com, was trained as a Clinical Psychologist at Columbia University. Dr. Laura has several notable achievements in parenting including author of the book, “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting”.  And so, without further ado…the top ten parenting blog posts.

#10

Why Kids Hit Siblings and How to Help Them Stop – (5,792 total social shares)
This title may be self-explanatory to some, but others might need to take a closer look-see. The great part about this post is that it’s in response to a desperate plea of a parent looking for answers. Immediately without judgement of any kind, Dr. Laura’s response identifies and empathizes with the mother’s situation, relays her concerns back in a way that presents another point of view, while validating her position as a parent. She then flawlessly gives 7 steps on how to gain your children’s trust and connect with them so as to help prevent these types of actions in the future.

#9

Your 10 Step Plan to Stop Yelling – (6,642 total social shares)
This post reinforces the concept of respect going both ways. As parents, a lot of the time we have this idea that because we are the authority, our kids HAVE to do what we say and if they don’t, they are disobedient. It can’t be stressed enough how well Dr. Laura analyzes the difference between obedience and morality (“Morality is doing what’s right, no matter what you’re told, while obedience is doing what you’re told no matter what is right”). These ten tips will help you connect with your child and build on the relationship first, while also recognizing your triggers and allowing yourself to have some fun with your children.

#8

Easing the Transition to the Toddler Bed – (10,037 total social shares)
There’s no surprise that this post jumped almost four thousand social shares compared to #9. Good parents are always looking for advice and ways to be better parents, even with the little things. Transitioning a toddler to a “big bed” is a BIG step for a child and while it might seem insignificant to a busy parent, how the transition takes place can make all the difference in the long run.

#7

How to Handle Your Anger at Your Child – (10,442 total social shares)
Admitting when we are in the wrong is a difficult thing to do even for the humblest of persons, but admitting we are wrong in the midst of our anger is near impossible. This post tells it how it is from the beginning. Presenting well backed-up research about the effects of abuse or dangerous expression on children just to get your attention and then presenting a plausible solution in controlling anger. These 14 steps are an excellent guide to refer to while learning to “be” the person you really want to be with your children and family as a whole.

#6

What to Say Instead of Punishing to Teach a Lesson – (11,936 total social shares)
Apparently our mothers weren’t absolutely crazy when they told us that “maintaining a clean house is easier than cleaning a dump”. This concept can be carried over into many different aspects of life, including parenting (Go figure!). The idea of “preventative maintenance” is presented in this article alongside teaching lessons. The funny thing is, we can’t tell if we are learning to maintain our own actions or helping the children maintain theirs! What do you think?

#5

What’s Wrong with Timeouts? – (13,284 total social shares)
We were blown away at how well this article produced a craze of comments (3,679!) In this day in age, parents are constantly trying to find the best way to discipline their children. We have always understood that when we do something wrong there are consequences, but are the ones we are designating for our children the best consequences in order for them to learn from their mistakes? Check it out and decide for yourself.

#4

How to Use Positive Parenting – (13,328 total social shares)
A lot of parents may understand discipline and punishment to be one and the same, but are they really? We aren’t here to tell you if they are or not but this article has some excellent insight on possible differences. We all want good relationships with our children right? But are we willing to do the work for these positive relations? Learn how to positively correct and re-connect with your child in times of struggle.

#3

Helping your Toddler Learn to Put Himself to Sleep – (25,146 total social shares)
We are getting pretty serious about the number of social shares here. Coming in at #3 is a post that may help parents worldwide, gain their sanity back! It doesn’t give an answer to all our problems regarding the lack of sleep our children may or may not be getting (alongside us), but it really does give some great advice to try; at least try! These 15 tips just might help level the playing field.

#2

Obedience: Why Do You Have to Tell them Five Times? – (55,189 total social shares)
We have to hand it to them, this article really does remind us of the fact that we and our children are not one and the same, but two totally different people in two totally different stages of life. Have we trained our children to not listen until we yell and threaten? Apparently there are reasons for this, and along with these reasons, there is a plausible solution that just might not involve threatening or punishment. How would you handle these situations?

#1

Parenting your Strong-Willed Child – (799,639 total social shares)
The number one post found on AhaParenting.com (numbers don’t lie) is nothing short of perfect. Even if you only have one child, they are more than likely to be very strong-willed and raising strong-willed children can require much more sensitivity than most people understand.
If you are still with us, we know you are good parents. And if you are hoping to help yourselves be even better as well as provide the best, most thriving, atmosphere for your children to grow up in, this number one post deserves a few times over. Prepare for some bitter sweet though, since Dr. Laura doesn’t sugar coat anything for her readers.
We know that some might consider raising children in this day in age ludicrous. But good parents see it as something much, much different. It’s an opportunity for all to grow and learn and develop into the best human beings we can be. It’s a labor of real love and when we do our best, the outcome can become even better.